night watchman
11
3.2
- noun
- /naɪt ˈwɑːtʃmən/
:
vigilante nocturno
- The night watchman walked the empty halls to ensure everything was secure.
- job as a night watchman
- night watchman who found
- worked as a night watchman
Examples
-
But the night watchman on the dock says you drove off a few minutes after she left.
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I have other things to think about than worrying whether the night watchman walked off the job.
-
It's a slow season for night watchmen.
-
The night watchman arrived earlier.
-
Outside, I see that our night watchman has arrived.
Fiction book (1990) -
I'm the new night watchman.
-
He was found by the night watchman.
-
We're in the old factory, and you're the night watchman.
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They got a night watchman and locks on the door.
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In the lobby, a single lamp burned at the vacant desk of the night watchman.
Fiction book (1991)
Synonyms
210
1.3
A person who watches and protects a building or people to stop stealing and trouble
106
1.2
A person who stands at a building entrance to greet visitors and check who can enter
89
3.9
A person who watches a place or people to keep them safe
88
3.7
A person who watches and warns others about danger
31
7.4
A person who watches a place to warn others of danger
28
4.1
A person who guards a building or land, usually at night
4
3.6
A person who checks an area regularly to keep it safe
1
2.8
A person who guards a building entrance and controls who can enter
1
6.9
A person who looks after and guards a place at night
1
5.1
A man who watches for danger or police and warns others
1
2.5
A person who stands at an entrance to check people entering
A woman who guards a building at night
A woman who guards a building or area, often at night
A person who watches the streets at night to keep people safe
A person who guards a gate and controls who goes in and out
A person who patrols large areas like forests to spot hazards
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a man who guards at night' is directly and transparently derived from 'night' (the nightly interval) modifying 'watchman' (a person who monitors or guards). This simple noun+noun composition follows common English compounding and parallels in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
Night watchman may come from old towns where a man walked the streets at night with a lantern, looking for fires or thieves. The words night and watchman give the clear picture of someone who 'watches' at night to 'guard' a place, so today the phrase means 'a man whose job is to guard a building or area at night'.